Payment where dues are paid

Naoko frowned now more clearly and took a step towards Veronica, even if she didn't took seriously those childish death threats she certainly didn't liked them. Her posture and the tone of her voice barely changed and yet Naoko managed to look clearly more menacing in attitude. "I seriously doubt you are worth that much. But if you expect to receive any kind money from me, you better tell me what I want to know. I'm not going to pay you for keeping me in the dark."

Naoko took a second to look at Veronica and then smiled. "...or you can go with the clans and ask them to hire you." she said and then turned around to continue walking to the back entrance of the building. "It is your choice."

"Don't believe me? Fine, I guess that's what happens to you when you can't fucking trace a call." Veronica said dismissivley. Turning back to light up another cigarette "At least this place pays on time." She grumbled.

Naoko stopped her walk and turned her head around to look at Veronica over her shoulder.
"Trace a call?...what are you talking about?..." she said. And then slowly turned around. She wasn't sure now if Veronica knew something or was just playing her to get money... or maybe just to be annoying.
"You are playing a very dangerous game, Veronica... You are far away from home... And with no one to watch you back... I think you should try... To be... More... Cooperative." the Japanese said slowly as she walked towards Veronica.

"It's a game I've played for years, where I play it doesn't make a difference." Veronica said, reaching into her pockets for a small envelope. "Here," she said handing it out towards Naoko. Although messing with the normally stoic Japanese woman was fun, trying to find which button to press to get a reaction she had a point, she didn't come here just to be a nuisance.

"Like I said, 2 million Yen. Read it if you don't believe me."

Naoko took the envelope and opened it to produce a small letter which she unfolded and began to read. The Japanese girl's face barely changed at all, but she couldn't avoid raising her eyebrows, that in Naoko's terms meant she was deeply shocked.

The letter was clearly the handwritten by her father...in English! In it he thanked Veronica for her services dealing with the "Matsuba-kai problem" and promising to pay her two million yen. It made no sense at all to Naoko. Why write this? Why give it to Veronica? The young Japanese gangster didn't understood, but she had the sneaking suspicion there was more behind this letter than meet the eye. She then noticed the date, right below the family seal. It was written two days before her fathers murder. Naoko began to wonder now if her father had knew she was going to be killed. Did he left this letter on the hands of Veronica to send her a message in case he died, guessing that the gaijin would look for her to seek payment and would go unnoticed by the other clans? It sounded horribly complicated. Just like the kind of plots her father liked to use.

Naoko folded the letter and placed inside the folder, then she made a little bow with the head for Veronica.

"Please accept my apologies, Veronica-san, for having doubted you" she said still coldly. "I'll make sure you receive your payment." she added as she placed the envelope inside her white trench-coat. "I am sure you won't mind if I keep this...for further references... And would like to hire your... Services... And... Expand our working relationship... Specifically concerning the mentioned... 'Matsuba-kai problem'..."

The letter seemed to have a great impact on Naoko, getting her to at least make an expression that wasn't either smug victory or plain stoicism. The bow was new too, none of the other members bowed to her, she kind of liked to see the once elitist girl humbled slightly.

"Meh, keep the letter. I don't need to keep it on me 24/7 anymore and it's not going to make any bit of sense to anyone except you." She said, taking a final drag of her second cigarette before stomping that out as well. "what do you want me to do?" she asked "but know this, I'm got gonna tell you anything about the job I did for your dad until I get the ful 2 million. That's my condition." She added as a warning, a bit of business on the side with Naoko might not be too bad so long as she got the big jackpot eventually.

"Very well..." said Naoko as she returned her hands to the pockets of her trench-coat. "I would see that you receive your payment this week... And we will meet then to discuss further business..."

Naoko then looked at the AFW building and sighed. "You are working here now, right? she asked although she already knew the answer. "That serves my interests just perfect... Keep your eyes and ears open. If you heard anything suspicious... If you meet anyone whom you have seen while doing jobs for my father... I will reward you generously... " Noko said and then turned around to leave... But then she though of something and turned back to Veronica.

"Say Veronica... While working for my father did you ever came across a girl with just one-eye?" she asked while she looked intensely at the gaijin, like trying to see thru her.

"I saw a lot of people on missions. I didn't operate in a bubble outside Tokyo." Veronica said with suspicion. She knew what the Yakuza boss meant, anyone important, anyone who had conversations with the late clan head, "and there are suspicious people all around here... but..." she paused to think, there was one girl who had confrontations with the Shinoda family that she saw everywhere. But still she had seen her beat up a few of their henchmen. "The only one I know who's come into direct contact with any of the Shinoda clan was a red-headed brawler, she rolled with two twins and they got into a lot of fights in bars and in the street. Beating the crap out of a few lackeys, that sort of thing, she probably didn't know who they were but they didn't want to admit they got "beaten up by a gaijin and the wondertwins," and that's a quote. But other than that nothing."

She took a deep look at Naoko when she asked that last question, she had seen a picture of a one eyed woman but the old man never brought it up "Once. He sent me to collect some debts, one of the women ended up with one eye after I was through with them if that's what you mean."

"Redhead brawler, you say?" Naoko asked. She had already heard similar rumors and this only confirmed them. It may be nothing or it may be a lead. "I'll have to check on that."

"And... How did this woman to whom you owe an eye looked like?" Naoko asked, seriously doubting it would be the same woman, but she didn't wanted to leave any option unexplored.

"Black hair, asian, thought she was good with a sword, screams like a bitch. Nothing special." Veronica told Naoko before walking off. The story was true but she doubted it was what Naoko was after, the blonde woman with an eyepatch, she'd seen her in London before, a gala event before she would up knocking her off the top of the most wanted list "Don't try to find me, I'll find you when I have something, or if I need a quick payment."